AN AWESOME NIGHT....

It's been a long day for The Jones' . We have been around the world today with work and practice and late ball games. As I am typing this at 9:45pm, Chase is still awake and Kayli isn't even home from practice.....(it's going to be a rough morning tomorrow!) Aside from our exhaustion....we are so hyped up that we can hardly sit still! Chase played AWESOME tonight! He had a great hit (all the way to the fence) and even kept playing after getting hurt as catcher. Not only are we proud, but his coaches thought so, too, because.....HE GOT THE GAME BALL!! YEA CHASE!!

This is a pretty big deal for Mark and I, not just because he played great, but because we have had sort of a rough start to the season. As I mentioned in the last post, he has had a bit of a bad attitude which has made him not play very good. We have had many discussions about how important it is to be a team player and a good sport.....and (it's a miracle) he actually WAS listening! HALLELUJAH!!!

Overall it was an outstanding game and "The Astros" ALL played great and deserved the win! Oh yea, did I mention that we also knocked out the 1st place team?? WOOHOO! I have to stop now....I am just so proud of our team!!! I could go on and on but I guess I should calm down and try to get these wild ones in bed! Good night!

Another week at The Jones'....

Not much has been going on around here this week, just the usual running between ball fields, work and school, but I thought while I had a minute I'd try to keep everyone "up with the Jones"....

Mark moved into his new position as "Operator A" last week. Before he was "Operator B" which is kind of the back-up. He has wanted the A position for a while and finally got promoted a few weeks ago. He is happy but quite nervous. He digs the holes (with a backhoe) to fix live gas and water mains and has to be very precise and careful not to damage the lines. He will be fine, though, once he gets comfortable.

Kayli is being a normal 12 year old girl...loud teeny-bopper music, make-up, boys, and, of course, uncool parents. Where did my little girl go??? She is definitely testing her limits with my patience. I wish that I could lock all of the doors and windows and never let her out of the house so that I can keep her from growing up any more. In less than one year she will officially be a TEENAGER!!!! Pray for us......

Chase has been all about baseball. Luckily, the rain has not interfered much with our games this season. Yesterday, his team was tied up for 1st place...but we lost our game and now we are in 2nd. I know, I know....it's supposed to be about the fun...but it's fun to win, too! Chase has been a little bit pouty about playing the positions that he is told to play. Last season he played 1st base and loved it. This year he is a first year kid and has been in the outfield and he is not happy about that. So, we have had MANY talks about attitude, sportsmanship, and hard work. He loves baseball, though, and is having a great time!

As for me....this is our last week to be open at Frankie's. The store is so bare. We have hardly anything left. I, so far, have not been terribly sad...just scared. We opened Frankie's 10 years ago, when I was 20 years old. It is all that I have known for my adult life. I am excited to move on, but the change is what scares me. I am a "planner" and right now I am not sure what the plan is. I don't like not knowing what is coming next. For now though, I am just going to take it a day at a time and see what happens!

This ended up being a little longer than expected.I guess I had more to say than I thought. I will try to post something a little more exciting next time but this is as good as it gets for now! Bye!!

Weekend Warriors!!!

Mark and I love to do stuff around our house and I can honestly say that we have dabbled in every possible thing from flooring to painting to a complete bathroom remodel....and now fencing!!

These little guys are the reason for our hard work....

We have wanted to put a fence up since we moved to this house. However, we bought an old house from an old lady so you can imagine how much updating the house needed first. Add that to the fact that we have a REALLY BIG backyard and were quoted $7000 from a fencing company...needless to say, the fence had to be put on the backburner for awhile. But this year we decided to do it.....ourselves!

We are doing the best we can around our baseball/softball schedule. We have been working until dark everyday and all day on the weekends to try to get finished.

Here is our plan of action....

Mark does the heavy lifting....

marks the boards to be cut.....

hands them off to his handy-dandy assistant..hehe =).....

who makes a perfect, precise cut....hehehe=)....

and the whole process starts over again!

We have a long way to go but we've been working hard! Here is half of our handy-work...

(Sammy looks so confused!)

Pretty nice.....if I do say so myself!!!

Softball Opening Day 2010....

And now...meet (most of) the "Hornets"!!! This is Kayli's softball team! This past Saturday was Opening Day for softball! Baseball AND softball season is officially underway and we couldn't be more excited....or exhausted!!!

Opening day begins with an early morning parade through SW Decatur. Since it is a pretty long way from the fields, the girls get to pile in the back of trucks, which are fully decked out with streamers and signs and balloons. You can imagine how much fun they have decorating! Here is Kayli on her way to do some damage...

And here they are showing some "Hornet Pride" on thier way to the field....

After the parade, all of the teams gather on the field to kick off the season. The first pitch was thrown by Molly Moses, a teenage girl who lost her leg (and almost her life) in a boating accident last year. I didn't get any pictures but I wanted to mention that because I admire her courage.

Here is a picture of Kayli and her best friend, Ashlyn.

And of course, my camera battery went dead after this so I have NO pictures of the first game but Kayli did great! Fast pitch is hard for this age because the girls are getting used to pitching. Needless to say, there were A LOT of walks! We lost our game but they all did great and we will for sure be ready next time!

GO HORNETS!!!!

Opening Day 2010....

Meet "The Astros!!!" This is Chase's new baseball team....and WOW what a team it is!! We played our first game this past Saturday and we WON 14-7!!! Go Astros!!! (It was actually just an exhibition game, but hey, a wins a win, right??)

Every baseball season kicks off with the opening day parade. The kids are so excited to strut their stuff and throw candy to all of the onlookers. All of the teams gather at the school parking lot, bright and early, on Saturday morning and "parade" to the fields where they are introduced by teams.

(They all look so cute in their uniforms!!!)

After all of the troops are assembled they are ready to go...

(Look who's cheering them on!!!)

Our first game of the season was actually an exhibition game (kind of a dress rehearsal for the real thing). Like I said before, WE WON!!! The boys played great and they were super excited!

Here are some pictures of Chase in action....

It was an awesome Opening Day! Chase did great and we are so excited to get this season started!!!

GO ASTROS!!!!!

12 YEARS OLD!!!!

It's hard to believe that our baby girl has gone from this.....

to this.....

March 19, 1998 was the day that our sweet Kayli was born! It's funny, she doesn't even know how much she changed our lives. She was the reason that we got up in the mornings and the reason that we rushed home at night. We couldn't wait to see her precious face smiling up at us with those dimples! She has blossomed into a beautiful, young lady and we are so proud to be her parents! We love you, Kayli-May!!!

For her birthday, we decided to invite a group of girls to eat pizza and go ice-skating. There ended up being 6 girls....

(I always say that I don't want my blog to be boring and too full of details. But this was a special night for Kayli and I want to remember the details for her.....so bare with me!)

We had dinner at "Goodfellas" which is a new pizza place here in Decatur. It is Chicago style pizza and it is DE-LICIOUS!!! Here is a picture....

Yummy!!!!
(Notice our pizza server....Mark!)

While they ate, they socialized and giggled.....A LOT! I wish I would have counted the times that I heard the word "like" or "Oh my God"!!! You can imagine what it was like with a group of 12 year old girls....

Luckily, we had dragged these people along! These are our friends Jamey and Melanie, and their 2 kids (well, minus Chase). They were nice enough to join us....or maybe it was the free dinner, hmmmm (Just kidding!)......either way, we were glad we had them there! Extra adult enforcement never hurts!

After pizza, it was time for cookie cake!!


After we finished at Goodfellas, we headed to the Ice Complex. Oh my what a ride it was! They turned the volume up on Kayli's new Justin Beiber CD and went NUTS!!!!

Next on the agenda was ice-skating!! Check out this outfit!!!

Now check out these pro-skaters....yea right!!! That "safety bar" was more helpful for me and Mel!!! We just used Adison as an excuse!!!

We had a great time at the rink!!!

Even Chase got to have some fun!!!

It was a great night for Kayli and an exhausting night for us adults!! We crashed as soon as we got home!!

Happy Birthday, Kayli! May all of your wishes come true!!!! We love you!

A quick update and sad news....

Well I have been informed....once again....that I am not posting as often as I should. So, after a swift "kick in the rear" from my sister, I will try to update you on what is going on with "the Jones"!

Where to start....baseball/softball season has started and Mark and I are EXHAUSTED! Chase moved up to Minor B this season and is on a great team! He is doing so well for his first year on the pitching machine. The opening day parade is this Saturday followed by the first game of the season against The Cubs, which includes almost all of our former teammates (and friends) from previous years.....sure to be a good competition!=)

Kayli also decided to play softball this season so we (actually Mark, because I have been working late hours...more on that later) are shuttling between fields which happen to be across town from each other. Kayli has not played in a few years but hasn't lost her touch. She has quite an arm on her little body and is doing great so far. We will kick off the season next Saturday which will be opening day for softball!=)

Now, sad news. After some sleepless nights, a few tears, and some difficult decisions, we have decided to close Frankie's. (If you are not aware, Frankie's is the clothing store that my mother and I started in 2000.) It has been sort of a bitter-sweet decision. Frankie's has done so much for Mark and I in helping us to build our family. It has provided financial means, taught me, personally, so many valuable life skills, and it has created a bond between my mother and I that makes us more like best friends instead of mother/daughter.

While I will cherish the memories and will forever be thankful that I have had the opportunity, I am also excited to move on. I think there comes a time when you know that you are "done" and I have reached that point. I am burnt out and have been for a while. I am so scared but, at the same time, I am ready to turn the page and find out what is around the corner. Hopefully it will be something as great as what I am leaving behind!

I guess that's enough for now. It is late and I should be asleep. I'll try to do better......I promise!!!!